Re: Re: PCA trying to contain coconut pest - Question for Dr. Magat

[Guest guest]

Dr. Magat,

 

Do you know why PCA is using a chemical to contain brontispa in Borongan, Samar?

They have a natural method of solving this - releasing earwig bettles to eat the

larvae of brontispa. This is the accepted counter-measure dissiminated by PCA to

us in Davao, Southern Philippines, as part of preparedness in case brontispa can

cross the Mindanao Sea and reach our area.

 

Thanks for any info.

 

Tony

From: melly banagale <@...>

Subject: Re: Philippine Coconut Authority trying to

contain coconut pest

Coconut Oil

Date: Friday, August 29, 2008, 4:33 PM

Philippines: Coconut pest alarms Borongan PCA

Some 11 barangays here are now infested by Brontispa, the coconut tree-damaging

pest.

In a report submitted to the media of Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)

Provincial Officer-in-Charge, Mr. Rodrigo Ibao, he said that they already have

confirmed the several hectares of coconut plantations that are now bearing

yellowish leaves and in fact decaying due to the pest.

According to him, even at the onset of this imported pest in the locality, they

already have prepared and sought the assistance of the City Government of

Borongan which was in turn given attention to by Mayor Fidel Anacta who

immediately created and assigned a Task Force to assist PCA.

He added that, Sangguniang Panglunsod Member Jessie Solidon spearheaded the Task

Force and have allocated likewise some funding for the purchase of the chemical.

According to him, before the treatment process, they called the attention of the

coconut farmers and they were told to remove every coconut, including the young

ones (silot in local vernaculalr, in Tagalog buko) so it can still be benefitial

to the owner, before they apply the chemical to the coconut trunk. The PCA

officer stressed that once the chemical is applied to the tree, the coconut

fruits will no longer be safe for human consumption until some time when the

treatment period is completed.

However, Ibao noted that most of the farmers did not heed their call which

actually hampered the fullest implementation of the chemical intervention in all

the coconut trunks.

Reliable source say that the pest is air- transmitted to the next coconut tree

and is highly contagious, thus the need to massively treat the coconut trees in

the locality.

Today, due to the widespread damage of the pest, they will pursue the treatment

even if a tree may be heavy with coconuts otherwise; unless they do this the

pest will travel further, the report warned.

Barangays Sabang North and South, Songco, Balud, Pepilitan, Calingatngan,

Barangay A and B and Suhotan, all of Borongan City were reported have been

afflicted with Brontista.

Previous reports said that this Brontista came from abroad and due to the

importation of decorative plants particularly palm trees, it happened to be

found now in the Philippine soils. The pest loves to dwell in palm and coconut

trees.

PCA however insists that they are doing their best to arrest it.

Source: pia.gov.p

Publication date: 8/28/2008

[Guest guest]

I was wondering the same thing, as insects of any kind as well as

bacteria inevitably become resistant to chemicals, and the chemicals

often kill off natural predators of the insect pest targeted.

sol

AGPacific Nutriceutical wrote:

> Dr. Magat,

>

> Do you know why PCA is using a chemical to contain brontispa in Borongan,

Samar? They have a natural method of solving this - releasing earwig bettles to

eat the larvae of brontispa. This is the accepted counter-measure dissiminated

by PCA to us in Davao, Southern Philippines, as part of preparedness in case

brontispa can cross the Mindanao Sea and reach our area.

>

>